Bradford Bulls win fine Yorkshire derby at York City Knights

The Knights only needed a point to guarantee their spot in the end of season lottery and the smart money was on them, with Bulls having won just once since June, against rock-bottom Workington.

Yet three first half tries apiece in an end-to-end opening 40 minutes saw Bulls lead 20-16, before a scoreless, but rarely dull, second half saw the visitors take home the two points.

It was arguably Bulls’ best performance of the season, given how hard they had to work from start to finish.

The Bulls players were suitably jubilant at full-time after a fine performance. (Image: Tom Pearson)

Bulls got a deserved opening score after AJ Wallace got a second bite at the cherry.

The former Leeds man almost crashed through from a Sam Hallas pass, before Steve Crossley worked the ball towards the line on the last tackle.

The ball came back to Aaron Murphy, who stabbed through for Wallace to dive over for a score converted by the night’s designated kicker, Elliot Kear.

Smart work from Will Jubb got York their first score soon after.

Ata Hingano almost barrelled over the line but was stopped millimetres short, but Jubb picked up the ball at the base of the ruck and went as low as possible to squeeze over for a try, James Glover adding the extras.

But then Danny Kirmond, bravely deciding to play after the death of his brother last week, was punished for an alleged high tackle on Hallas a few metres out, and Kear kicked for goal to make it 8-6.

Ebon Scurr was knocked into next week by a thunderous tackle, and he was on his knees, with Pauli Pauli subsequently sent to the sin bin for the shoulder charge.

Bulls then made the most of their man advantage. The ball was played left to Kieran Gill on the last tackle, and it looked like he had nowhere to go.

But he shimmied to the right and then spotted the perfect pass to George Flanagan, who charged through a gap for a score that was converted by Kear.

George Flanagan was not afraid to go big on his celebration after scoring Bulls' second try. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

After multiple attempts to try and score down the middle and on the right, York finally went out to the left.

They had numbers and it was Matty Marsh who just escaped a desperate last-ditch tackle to skid over, with a fine conversion from the left by Glover bringing York within two points again.

York came millimetres away from taking the lead, but Kear slid in on the line and did just enough to prevent his York opponent from touching down first.

Tom Doyle went close for Bulls, but then Myles Lawford, an unlikely titan in defence and attack all night, went even closer.

The former almost wrestled his way over, but the slight young half-back picked it up almost on the line and squeezed in to score.

Myles Lawford is mobbed after scoring Bulls' third try of the night. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Right on the hooter, York forced their way back into the contest. After a brilliant tackle on Marsh from Kear, York continued their attack and went down the right at ferocious pace.

A few passes later, and Glover fed the ball to former Bulls man Joe Brown, who off balance, just managed to fly over in the corner.

Glover’s extremely difficult kick from the right was always heading wide, giving Bulls a narrow four-point advantage at the break.

Lawford produced a brilliant tackle just before the line five minutes after half-time to keep Bulls in front and moments later, he was almost in to score at the other end.

Last-gasp York defending kept him out as it did when Wallace charge towards the home side in the next wave of attack.

Bradford then earned a penalty for holding on Lawford and a melee broke out afterwards, with the visiting players rushing in to protect their little teenage talent.

There were no cards, but Kear’s penalty was awful from close range, and he could only clank it off the post, although Doyle had to be held up over the line from the rebound.

Tom Doyle went close to scoring a try on more than one occasion for Bulls.

Then came some controversy, as York were convinced they were over in the corner through Marsh, but he was penalised for double movement under the tackle.

And after a bit of handbags afterwards, Matty Dawson-Jones and Marsh were sent to the sin-bin, making the game 12 against 12.

Liam Harris almost crossed for York, and then the hosts looked to have wasted their chance with a shocking pass that bounced forward, but Bulls were penalised for an infringement, spelling massive danger.

Jordan Thompson almost crashed over and then Brown was held up over the line, before a desperate Bulls conceded another penalty.

But the visitors survived, and even hit back a little. Doyle looked to be over the line to most in the ground, but he was actually stopped agonisingly short on the last tackle.

Mark Dunning's side were heroic defensively after the break.

Bulls breathed a sigh of relief when the menacing Pauli Pauli was forced off with a leg injury after a crunching tackle from Crossley, and they almost finished York off, as Ant Walker and Ebon Scurr were both held up over the line moments apart.

Bradford dropped the ball forwards on the York line, and they had to survive one final menacing attack from the hosts.

With two minutes left, the Knights looked to have the men over on the left to score, but scrambling defence kept them out.

Aaron Murphy was one of many players who defended for their lives at York last night.

They were then forced to kick, but it was a tired effort, and eventually Gill flew in with a great tackle to end the move.

Gill almost went over the line in the dying seconds, but it mattered little that he was stopped, as Bulls celebrated a fine victory.

It was a tense atmosphere throughout, with the partisan York crowd feeling several key decisions went against them, and it was therefore little surprise that the Bulls players exploded with joy at full-time.

They hauled their tired minds and bodies to the other end of the field to salute their jubilant fans, with Flanagan even launching into a dramatic slide across the turf in front of them.

The two old warhorses, Steve Crossley and George Flanagan, enjoy celebrating in front of the Bulls fans at full-time.

It was a suitably crazy way to end a crazy contest, as Bulls, in what has been a poor season, finally showed what they are capable of.

YORK: Marsh, Brown, Glover, Ogden, Towse, O’Hagan, Hingano, Pauli, Jubb, Michael, Kirmond, Clarkson, Thompson.

Interchanges: Harris, Teanby, Dixon, Antrobus.

BULLS: Kear, Dawson-Jones, Evans, Gill, Millar, Hallas, Lawford, Crossley, Flanagan, Scurr, Butler, Wallace, Murphy.

Interchanges: Doyle, England, Gannon, Walker.

BULLS MAN OF THE MATCH: Elliot Kear.